Transforming growth factor alpha- and c-myc-induced mammary carcinogenesis in transgenic mice

The growth factor transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) and the nuclear transcription factor c-myc often are overexpressed by human breast cancer cells. To produce models of breast disease with these etiologies, mice were generated that carried TGF-alpha- or c-myc-encoding transgenes. Transgene targeting employed the whey acidic protein (WAP) gene promoter, which is expressed in pregnant and lactating mammary epithelial cells. Non-virgin WAP-TGFalpha transgenic mice displayed accelerated mammary development during pregnancy, delayed post-parturient mammary involution, a progressive increase in the number of hyperplastic alveolar nodules (HANs), and development of mammary carcinoma with a mean latency of 9 months. Non-virgin WAP-c-myc transgenic mice displayed accelerated mammary gland development during pregnancy and development of mammary carcinomas with a latency of 8 months. Bitransgenic mice carrying both WAP-TGFalpha and WAP-c-myc displayed a dramatic acceleration of tumor development. These models identify the overexpression of TGFalpha or c-myc as etiological factors in the development of mammary neoplasia and demonstrate the increased severity of disease when both molecular alterations are present in the same cell.